Mariana Speckmaier

#17 MARIANA SPECKMAIER – DOB 26/12/97

Mariana Speckmaier brings some international quality for the Wellington Phoenix frontline for the 2023-24 A-League.

The pacey striker has been capped 12 times at senior level by Venezuela.

Speckmaier, 25, was born and raised in Miami, Florida, but qualifies for Venezuela through her father.

She followed her sister into the Venezuela age-group set-up and represented La Vinotinto at the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Papua New Guinea.

Speckmaier attended Clemson University in South Carolina from 2017 to 2020 and led the Tigers in goals in her freshman, sophomore and junior seasons.

She was selected 39^th overall by the Washington Spirit in the 2021 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) draft.

After making only a few appearances for the Spirit in her rookie season she signed with CSKA Moscow at the start of 2022.

Speckmaier joined CSKA Moscow for pre-season training in Turkey, but withdrew from the team when the war broke out in Ukraine.

> 2022-23 season

Mariana Speckmaier joined Valur in Iceland for the 2022-23 season and made 11 appearances for the club.

Speckmaier returned to the U.S. in 2023 and rejoined the Washington Spirit on a national team replacement contract.

She signed off from Spirit with a stunning stoppage time winner against the Orlando Pride in their final NWSL Challenge Cup match in August, and believes she can be a regular goal scorer for the Nix.

“I think that’s definitely the idea,” Speckmaier said. “I would love to be that for the team. Just to help the Phoenix team succeed would be great for me, and I want to help the club in any way that I can.

“I’m excited to come in and take the striker role. I played a lot of nine at college and throughout the last few years as a pro, so I’m definitely very comfortable in that position.

“I wouldn’t say I’m your typical nine size wise, but I love playing in that spot.”